title: Acute effects of violent video-game playing on blood pressure and appetite perception in normal-weight young men: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Watching television and playing video game being seated represent sedentary behaviours and increase the risk of weight gain and hypertension. We investigated the acute effects of violent and non-violent video-game playing on blood pressure (BP), appetite perception and food preferences. Forty-eight young, normal-weight men (age: 23.1±1.9 years; body mass index: 22.5±1.9 kg/m(2)) participated in a three-arm, randomized trial. Subjects played a violent video game, a competitive, non-violent video game or watched TV for 1 h. Measurements of BP, stress and appetite perception were recorded before a standardized meal (∼300 kcal) and then repeated every 15 min throughout the intervention. Violent video-game playing was associated with a significant increase in diastolic BP (Δ±s.d.=+7.5±5.8 mm Hg; P=0.04) compared with the other two groups. Subjects playing violent video games felt less full (P=0.02) and reported a tendency towards sweet food consumption. Video games involving violence appear to be associated with significant effects on BP and appetite perceptions compared with non-violent gaming or watching TV.
authors.affiliation: Human Nutrition Research Centre, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Newcastle on Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Siervo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabatini
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Fewtrell
authors.forename: J C K
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wells
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001066:Appetite; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D013690:Television; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates